Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;katelli&#39;

ABSTRACT

A  chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Katelli’ characterized by its medium sized blooms with orange ray florets and prolific branching; natural season flower date September 13-20; blooming for a period of 5 weeks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘Katelli’ is a product of a breeding and selection program for outdoorpot mums (garden mums) which had the objective of creating newchrysanthemum cultivars with a decorative type flower, a natural seasonflower date around September 13-20; blooming for a period of 5 weeks.The new plant of the present invention comprises a new and distinctcultivar of chrysanthemum plant ‘Katelli’ is a seedling resulting from acrossing program, which was set up by a previous breeder, and whichrecords are unknown to the inventor. The new and distinct cultivar wasdiscovered and selected as a flowering plant by Mark Roland Boeder on acultivated field in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in 2001. The first actof asexual production of ‘Katelli’ was accomplished when vegetativecuttings were taken from the initial selection in 2001 in a controlledenvironment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands, and further propagated atthis location. The new cultivar has been found to retain its distinctivecharacteristics through successive propagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum isshown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true aspossible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.

FIG. 3 shows the foliage of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classificationChrysanthemum morifolium L. The observations and measurements weregathered from plants grown out door in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands undernatural day length and temperature and planted in week 24 in 2004. Thenatural blooming date of this crop was September 13-20 (week 38). Theaverage height of the plants was 38 cm. No growth retardants were used.No tests were done on disease or insect resistance or susceptibility. Notests were done on cold or drought tolerance. This new variety producesmedium sized blooms with orange ray florets and a dark red centerblooming for a period of 5 weeks.

From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivarin comparison to ‘Katelli’ is ‘Mars’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,678). When‘Mars’ and ‘Katelli’ are being compared the following differences arenoticed: The differences of ‘Mars’ and ‘Katelli’ are (1) Colorray-florets. The ray-florets of ‘Katelli’ are more tending towardsbronze than of ‘Mars’. (2) Natural response time. Under naturalcondtions, ‘Katelli’ flowers earlier than ‘Mars’

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics thatdistinguish ‘Katelli’ as a new and distinct variety. The colordesignations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, anydiscrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted inthe photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart usedin this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,edition 1995. TABLE 1 Botanical Description of chrysanthemum plant‘KATELLI’ Bud Size Small; cross-section 0.5 cm, height 0.8 cm OutsideColor Yellow-green 145D Involucral bracts 2 rows, length 7 mm, width 3mm Involucral bracts among disc-florets Not present Involucral bractscolor Green 138B Bloom Type Decorative Height 1 cm Size Medium FullyExpanded 4.5 cm Peduncle length 6 cm Peduncle color Green 143C Number ofblooms per branch Approx. 10 blooms per branch Performance on the plant5 weeks Seeds Produced in small quantities, ovate grey-brown 199A, 1½ mmin length. Fragrance Typical chrysanthemum, slightly Color Center of theflower Immature Greyed-red 178A Mature Greyed-orange 173C Color of uppersurface of the ray- Greyed-orange 163A to florets Greyed-yellow 162AColor of the lower surface of the Greyed-orange 167A ray-floretsTonality from Distance A garden mum with orange flowers and a dark reddisc Discoloration to color Greyed-orange 163A to Greyed-yellow 162A Rayflorets Texture Upper and under side smooth Number 240-250 Cross-sectionFlat Longitudinal axis of majority Straight Length of corolla tube 0.8cm Ray-floret margin Entire Ray-floret length 2 cm Ray-floret width 0.5cm Ratio length/width High Shape of tip Rounded Disc florets AbsentReceptacle shape Conical raised Reproductive Organs Stamen Absent PollenNot produced Styles Thick Style color Yellow 13A Style Length 4 mmStigma color Yellow-green 144A Stigma Width 1 mm Ovaries Enclosed incalyx Plant Form Grown as a spray type potmum, outdoor mounded and roundGrowth habit Spherical shape Growth rate High Height 38 cm Width 40 cmStem Color Greyed-brown 199C Stem Strength Medium Stem Brittleness Notbrittle Stem Anthocyanin Coloration Absent Internode length 1.5-2 cmLength of lateral branch From top to bottom 18 cm Lateral branch colorYellow-green 148B Lateral branch, attachment Medium Branching (averagenumber of Good with 7-8 breaks after lateral branches) pinching Naturalseason blooming date September 13-20 Foliage Leaf color Upper side Green137A Lower side Green 138A-138B Color midvein Upper side Yellow-green147D Lower side Yellow-green 147D Size Small; length 3-5 cm, width 2-3cm Quantity (number per lateral 25 branch) Shape Obovate Texture upperside Glabrous Texture under side Pubescent Venation arrangement PalmateShape of the margin Serrated Shape of Base of Sinus Between RoundedLateral Lobes Margin of Sinus Between Lateral Diverging Lobes Shape ofBase Obtuse Apex Mucronulate Petiole length 0.8-1 cm Petiole colorYellow-green 147D

TABLE 2 Differences with the comparison varieties ‘Katelli’ ‘Mars’ Colorupper surface Greyed-orange 163A to Yellow-orange 22B ray-floretsGreyed-yellow 162A Start bloomig date Week 38 Week 41 (planted in week24)

1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant as described andillustrated.